Global Fashion to focus on new sourcing countries

01 Jul '08

6 min read

Over the past few months internationally sourcing apparel manufacturers have probably been more “on the move” than ever before.

Retailers from the USA all the way down to many countries in Europe have posted markedly declining apparel sales over the past months.

An improvement of the situation does not seem to be in sight short term. To a certain extent dramatic rises in energy, food and other costs of living are curtailing the budgets hitherto available for spending, thereby putting a damper on consumers' appetite for buying and cutting retailers' margins.

Some retailers can only shift some of the surplus merchandise by means of mark-downs. To stand their ground in terms of prices and still generate necessary business margins for the coming fashion season Spring/Summer 2009 (as well as with the off-season and re-order lines for Autumn/Winter 2008/2009) many sourcing managers and buyers from the apparel industry and the various retail categories are now often searching the world over for new suppliers.

And new countries are presenting themselves – not least also because purchasing prices in China have risen sharply. Depending on the product group to be sourced these countries include Vietnam, India, Bangladesh, some North African countries but also Eastern European states such as Ukraine, Belorussia or Albania, to name but a few.

Premiere for Belarussian pavilion:
Belarus is one of the countries participating with a country pavilion at Global Fashion from 27 to 29 July 2008. For the first time five enterprises will be presented at a shared stand organised by Bellegprom at the Düsseldorf Exhibition Centre.

These companies exhibit suits, jackets/coats, sweatshirts and pullovers, fun-fur garments and accessories as well as fashion and utility head gear for women, men and children. All Belarussian suppliers already maintain international business relations.

In addition to the new group exhibition from Belarus and the first joint stand featuring 17 companies from India, Global Fashion (which is held as part of the Igedo Fashion Fairs Düsseldorf in parallel with the international fashion fairs CPD, HMD and Body Look) will surprise visitors and exhibitors with a changed look and feel.

New are the modified space allocation in the hall/segmentation and a clearly more international origin of exhibitors. Aspirational, modern concept stands give Europe's No. 1 trade fair for sourcing and contracting in the apparel sector a forward-looking, purist look.

Global Exclusive as a new segment:
At the newly introduced segment Global Exclusive buyers will meet with 25 selected exhibitors from Albania, Belarus, Belgium, Germany, Portugal, Syria, Turkey, Ukraine and Vietnam. These companies specialise in high-quality clothing.

Above and beyond this, they want to score on low minimum quantities and short delivery periods with potential buyers. Global Exclusive offers these exhibitors a special setting to do so: separate meeting rooms ensure privacy for conversations with international accounts while the new Lounge invites visitors to drinks and snacks.

More exhibitors from more countries:
Standing at 330 firms from 19 countries (compared to 13 nations in July 2007) the number of exhibitors is up against the July event confirming once more the leading position of Global Fashion as Europe's leading trade fair specialised in contracting, sourcing and production of outerwear and bodywear as well as accessories forwomen, men and children.

Exhibitors come from Australia, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, China, Germany, Ghana, Great Britain, Hong Kong, India, Japan,Nepal, Pakistan, Portugal, Syria, Taiwan, Turkey, Ukraine and Vietnam occupying roughly 12,500 m² in Hall 4.

With this wider choice of countries of origin the organiser, Igedo Company, has responded to requests voiced by many visitors by “internationalising” the spectrum of countries even further in addition to the traditionally strong contingent of exhibitors from China with their numerous shared stands.

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